Inhaler



Patented Feb. 19, 1946 PATEN T `OFllCf-fl .22,395,109

, INHALER iB. iEonda, Yonkers, :N. nl., 4assigner sto Burroughs Wellcome&\'Co. (fU.-SA.),.Inc.,-.New York, N. Y., a corporation 7Aof 4.New."Inrk.

lApplication December 23, 194%,"SeralrNo469g907 3 Claims.v (Cl. 128-200)type having novel and improved characteristics.

Another object is to provide an inhaler which is suitable for quantityproduction.

Another object is to provide an inhaler of the type employing abreakable glass container having a suitable covering which protects theuser from injury and also prevents leakage of the contents.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature oithe invention is more fully disclosed,

The invention will be better understood by referring to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in whichtwo embodiments thereof have been set forth for purposes ofillustration.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the outer cartridge before the innercontainer has been inserted therein.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the inner container.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the assembled inhaler.

Fig. 4 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l, showing a furtherembodiment of the invention and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section throughthe inhaler of Fig, 5.

In the following description certain specic terms are used forconvenience in referring to various details of the invention, but theseterms are not intended to limit the scope of the invention except asdened by the claims. Referring to the drawing more in detail, theinvention is shown as applied to an inhaler comprising an innercontainer or ampule II of frangible onion skin, glass or the likecontaining a liquid I such as aromatic spirits of ammonia, aromaticammonia, amyl nitrite or other vaporizable substances. The ampule II issuiciently thin so as to be readily frangible by the pressure of thefingers.

The sealed ampule I I is placed Within the outer cartridge I2 comprisingan inner casing I4 of blotting paper, and an outer casing I of a denserpaper, which may be moisture resistant.

In the embodiment shown in Fig, 1 the inner casing I4 is formed by aspirallyv wound, two ply white blotting paper strip with butted jointI3, and the opter casing I5 consists of a spirally wound strip of denserpaper such as kraft paper or parchment paper which is wound around theinner casing I4 in a manner to provide a spiral groove I6 vbetween theadjacent side edges of the paper strip. The groove I6, which is shownexaggerated in Fig. l, serves to expose a portion of the surface of theinner blotting paper casing I4 so as to permit and facilitate the escapeof vapors after the ampule has been broken. It is to be understood thatthe outer strip may be wound in such a manner that its edges nearly abutbut are still sufficiently spaced to permit escape of vapors. Thehelical joint line I3 of the inner casing I4 is preferably offset withrespect to the spiral groove I6 of the outer casing I5.

All plies are secured together with a neutral vegetable adhesive, suchas a starch glue which does not retard the absorption or evaporation ofthe liquid when the ampule is broken.

The inner layer I4 preferably contains an indicator such as manganesesulphate, phenolphthalein, litmus, or the like, for the detection ofleakage of the ammonia in the ampule. If manganese sulphate is used, forexample, escaping ammonia vapors turn the container a brownish color andthereby indicate a defective ampule.

The cartridge I2 is preformed in the shape of an open end cylinder asshown in Fig. l. It is then closed at one end by crimping the materialas indicated at 20 in Figs. 3 and 4. The sealed ampule II containing thevaporizable material I0 is then placed in the open cartridge and theother end is closed by crimping as at 2|, Fig, 3. In this form thecartridge protects the ampule from accidental breakage, although it issufIiciently exible to permit the ampule to be readily fractured bysqueezing the sides of the cartridge between the fingers. When brokenthe liquid is absorbed in the blotting paper layer I4 and the vaporsreadily escape through the openings I6 and from the unsealed ends 20 and2|.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is y similar to that shown inFigs. 1 to 3, except that the outer layer 25 of Fig. 5 is continuous andis provided with a plurality of holes 26 which take the place of theopenings I 6 of Fig. 1. These holes 26 expose the underlying layer ofblotting paper and permit the escape of vapors in the manner abovedescribed.

It will be noted that-due to the simplicity of construction, the abovedevice is well adapted to commercial production. The outer cartridge maybe readily formed and the ends crimped in by suitable packagingmachinery. Furthermore the completed inhaler is suic'iently stiff andrigid to permit shipment and comparatively rough hanupon and beingsecured to said inner casing to stillen and protect the same Aand havingits adjacent edges spaced to expose a helical portion of the outersurface of said blotting paper casing. 2. An inhaler as claimed in claim1, in which said inner casing consists of a spirally wound strip ofblotting paper with abutting side edges.

1 l3I`An inhaleras claimed'in claim 1, in which said inner casingconsists of a spirally wound strip of blotting paper with abutting sideedges, the spiral butt joint between the adjacent edges of the blottingpaper strip being offset in axial cartridge tightly enclosing saidampule, said cari tridge consisting of an inner casing formed ofblotting paper and an outer casing formed of a' strip of moistureresistant paper spirally wound direction relative to said helicalexposed portion -of the blotting paper casing surface.

HOWARD B. FONDA.

